Free audio companion for U.S. 395 road-trippers

When in doubt on the portions of U.S. 395 in the Eastern Sierra, take it slow. You don’t want to miss anything on the history-packed scenic road that sways to its own unusual tune. L..A. Times staff writer Christopher Reynolds once marvelously called the route “a mandolin-driven ode to the West that evokes images of cowboy boots and roadside diners.”

A great way to accentuate your journey is with this educational freebie: the second edition of “Audio Stories from California’s Eastern Sierra,” by 395 Roadside Heritage, is available on CD at visitor information centers in Inyo and Mono Counties. Or, via the project’s website, you can easily download the contents to a CD or load up your MP3 player.

The 50-minute “Audio Stories,” which includes interviews with scientists and locals, is an interesting 101 on the cultural history and environment of the scenic region, which encompasses Mammoth Lakes, Mono Lake, Mono Basin, Antelope and Bridgeport Valleys and more.

Listen as you drive 395, and you’ll learn about the route’s role as a vital migration route for mammals, birds and insects. You’ll become informed of nearby Native American ancestral and tribal lands. And you’ll be offered historical tidbits related to native traditions, pioneer explorations, and ranching and mining, on up to present-day tourism.

Though the Eastern Sierra Institute for Collaborative Education is at the center of these projects, resource-providing hands on deck include Roadside Heritage partners at Lawrence Hall of Science, at UC Berkeley; University of Nevada; and Reno Academy for the Environment Locally.

Contact: Roadside Heritage

- Susan Derby, Special to the Los Angeles Times

Photo: Tufa formations and calcium-carbonate spires are some of the surreal features of salty Mono Lake. Credit: Dan Blackburn / Los Angeles Times

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This entry was posted on Monday, August 31, 2009 at 1:38 pm by Susan Derby and is filed under California, Family & Kids, Outdoors & Adventure, Sierra Nevada. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.